Emissions below the Kyoto Protocol target level

According to Statistics Finland,
Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions were 1.2 per cent below
the Kyoto Protocol target level in 2008. Emissions amounted to 70.1
million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2 eq.), or 10 per
cent less than in the previous year. These data derive from the
greenhouse gas inventory Finland submitted to the UNFCCC on 15
April. The trend in the emissions and factors affecting it, as well
as the monitoring of the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol are
described in detail in the recent Finnish-language publication
Suomen
kasvihuonekaasupäästöt vuosina 1990–2008 .

Figure 1. Development of greenhouse gas emissions
by sector in Finland 1990-2008

The aforementioned greenhouse gas emissions in Finland agree
with the preliminary data released on 4 December 2009. Emissions
from the energy sector accounted for 78 per cent of total emissions
in 2008. Emissions from the energy industry (-21%), manufacturing
and construction (-6%) and other energy sector emissions (-6%)
decreased significantly from 2007. Emissions from transport (-4%)
and the waste sector (-7%) were also lower than in the previous
year. By contrast, emissions from industrial processes (+5%), F-gas
emissions (+10%) and emissions from agriculture (+2%) went up from
the year before.

In 2008, the net removals of the Land Use, Land-Use Change and
Forestry (LULUCF) sector amounted to 35.4 Mt of carbon dioxide
equivalent, which was approximately 15 per cent more than in the
year before. The increase was mainly due to reduced volumes of
fellings from the previous year. The LULUCF sector is not included
in full amounts in the emission reduction commitment under the
Kyoto Protocol. Only the emissions and sinks of deforestation,
afforestation/reforestation and forest management are taken into
account in Finland’s commitment. These activities ease
Finland’s emission reduction burden annually by 0.58 Mt CO2
eq. However, the compensation is not received until after the
commitment period has ended.

Table 2. Emissions and removals of the land
use, land-use change and forestry sector in Finland. Emissions and
sinks as amounts corresponding to million tonnes of CO2 (emissions
are positive figures, removals negative)